Why the iPod isn't as popular as you think

'Monopoly' position wildly exaggerated in Europe

The world's favourite digital music player, the Apple iPod, isn't a hit with everyone.

In the US, the Apple iPod holds 77 per cent of the digital music player market and here in the UK, more than half of MP3 player buyers (58 per cent) opt for Apple iPods.

But on the continent, things are looking different. In Germany and France, Apple only accounts for 28 per cent of the digital music player market, Apple's marketing executive for the Apple iPhone and Apple iPod, Greg Joswiak, told Fortune magazine.

Increase in numbers

These numbers are up from a few years ago, Joswiak said. "When we went into Europe a couple of years ago with advertisements, when France was in single-digit market share and Germany was in single-digit market share, we again had to establish the 'thousand songs in your pocket'.

"We ran advertisements that were more foundational than the silhouette ads that we've done. And we saw market share rise pretty significantly - again, our latest French and German market share is about 28 per cent each. That's a pretty significant rise over a two-year period."

Joswiak said Apple will continue to hit European radio and TV stations with advertising explaining the benefits of the Apple iPod in the run-up to Christmas.